Vanished from Social Media

Thirty days ago, I opened all my social media accounts and deleted them one by one. As I slowly removed myself from my pages, I couldn’t help but think about how much I’ve evolved over time.  I scanned pictures, read messages, often times laughed at some funny memes, I admired well-crafted messages I posted for many reasons. There were times I was super serious and oddly militant. There were times I was downright silly and loving it. I cried too.

I felt my eyes glossing over. In a few clicks, I vanished.

Vanishing from social media has nothing to do with searching for a new and improved or different Crystal. It has everything to do with getting back to a quiet life. A path that is meant to progress naturally. One can naturally move through life without focusing on an audience response.

Connecting to the universe without likes, loves, comments, and laughs may sound a bit sarcastic. What it boils down to is social media has a way of helping people like me feel relevant. Relevant in the sense that loners quickly realize attention isn’t the answer to thriving in today’s landscape.

As I maneuver my life without social media, I can’t help but think about the times I would go to Facebook just to relate to someone or their post of the day. Now, I find myself challenging my Fitbit to move past 10,000 steps. I even noticed my dog isn’t as lazy as I once believed. It turns out, he loves to walk.

 

Living and breathing nature with allergies can be challenging but worth every sneeze as I connect to the words and thoughts in my mind. As life continue to show me the beauty of the earth and it’s living creatures, the sounds of nature, my spirit is releasing calm and rest. That feeling is priceless.

On my walks, I often think that most people probably don’t realize I disappeared from social media. Rightfully so, I’m an ant walking amongst elephants in Cyber World. It’s a crowded space with people battling for attention. The kind of attention I’ve decided is for brave souls that are savvy and incredibly strategic.

I write. Writing is my time to unpack my thoughts. I tell myself it’s ok to leave it all on my blog posts. Let readers interpret my words the way they see fit. Writing is freedom of expression. Readers are free to read with the same freedom.

Today, I feel free. Lonely at times. But it’s ok. I understand that social media was pacifying my need for belonging.  Now, I belong to my words, other humans I meet up with for outings, and my career.

I will end with a social media fist pump. The best thing that’s happened to the internet. People are connecting in ways that was unimaginable a few decades ago.

 

But for now, I leave you this super-duper short poemstory:

She vanished. She’s a fan. She’s ok.

At midnight, she clicked like.

At 5 a.m., she clicked like.

She’s a social media queen.

There’s no life in between.

Life. What life. Breathing.

Any chance, she’ll be back.

Yes, Maybe.

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